Shock-absorbing mechanism.



13 A. JOHNSON.

SHOCK ABSoRBsNG MEC HANISM,

Patented Jan. 7, 1919.

GEORGE 391513150111", 0:5' CHICAGO, ILLIN'O IS, ASSIGNR TO WILLIAM H. MINER, OF

CRAZY, NEW YORK.

SHOCK-BSORBBTG MECHANXSM. v

Specification of Letters Eatent.'4

lPatented Jan., 7, ll..

.application led March l2., will. Serial No. flld.

To all eff/tom t may conce/ra:

Be it lrnown that l, Grenen A.. JoHNsoN, a citizen the United States, residing at Chicago, in .i e county of Cook and State of lllinois, have invented a certain new and useful improvement in Shocloibsorloing Meehanisins, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyimgn drawingsy forming," a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in shoe-lr absorbing mechanisms.

The object oli the invention is to provide a friction shock absorbing mechanism, more particnlarly designed for railway draft riggings wherein all the parts may he relatively cheaply manufactured in the form of castings and whereby a large frictional wearing area obtained to produce high capacity.

ln the drawings forming; part of this speciication, Figure 1 is a part elevational View., part longitudinal, vertical section of a portion ot a railway draft rigging showing my improvenients in connection therewith. Fig, 2 is a vertical, transverse, sectional wiew, taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig, l. Fig. 3 is a View corresponding' to Fig. 1, but illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

ln said. drawings and referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, 10-10 denote lthe draft sills of the c ar to which are secured front and rearstops 11 and l2. vThe draw har 13 is operatively connected to the shock absorbing mechanism lproper hy any suitable means, such as the yoke 14:,"and the parts may be supported hy a detachable saddle plate 15.

The shock absorbing mechanism proper, as shown, comprises front and rear followers A-A" four wedges B-fB, a pair of friction members C-( l,- bolts D-l) and springs .Er-lil.

Thefoilowers A and A are duplicates and each is provided on its inner tace with a pair or' inwardly extending arms 16 and 17, said arms being spaced and located centrally of the followers. The arms 16 and 17 are so arranged that when the two followers A and A are properly positioned, the arms will be overlapped, although it is not intended that there he any trictional engagement between the overlapped arms'themselves. The length of the arms 16 and 17 is made such that they are adapted to limit the relative approach of the followers A and A when the tota-l pcrmissihle compression ot the gear has neen attained. l

Each of the wedges B is of substantially right triangular cross section and has a wedge face `the wedges B-B being ar ranged in pairs, two on the inner face of each follower with their wedge faces 18 extended 1n opposite directions. As will he understood, the wedge lolecks B are formed as castings separate from `the followers A and A and are applied as mostclearly shown in Fig. 1. l?! hen so applied, itis evident that the wedges lE-B will rictionally engage the upper and` lower snrfacesof the arms 16 and 17. 'The wedges B which are associated 'with the rear follower A will, of course, remain immovable with respect to the arnis`16 and 17 formed integrally with the follower A',

1out said wedges will slide relatively to thearms 16 and 17 of the front follower A.

l'n a corresponding` manner, the wedges B associated with the front follower A will frictionally engage the arms 16 and 17 of the rear follower A. Due tothe fact that there is no relative sliding movement between the wedges B and the arms of the corresponding follower, the arms of both followers are pref l erably reduced in cross section, as indicated at'19w-19 at the portions adjacent the followers properB By thismeans, as the arms 16 and 17 attached to the front follower A, are worn down at their rear ends due to their sliding Contact with the' rear set of the Wedges llq the wedges B may take up the wear hy gradually moving toward the axis of the gear and without interference from the arms 16 and 17 attached to the rear follower A. rllhe same is true of the front set of wedges B and the front ends of the arms 16 and 17 ot' the rear follower A. As will be understood, the reduced sections 19 of the arms 16 and 17 need be extended only to a point slightly beyond the inner edges of the wedges B-ll.

The friction members C--C are beveled or wedge-shaped at their front and rear ends,

as indicated at Z0-Q0, so as to cooperate with the wedge faces 1S of the Wedges B-B. With the arrangement shown7 1t 1S evldent that-upon relative approach of the followers A :und A', the members C--J will he sepa* through suitaoie alined. perforations in the friction members C--C and corresponding recesses 2l provided in the arms 17-17 of the followers A-A and on said bolts D are mounted the springs E between lower followers 22 and upper followers The bolts D-D are disposed on opposite sides of the yoke so as to avoid cutting away any of the metal of the latter and the upper spring followers 23 are provided with sleeve extensions 24 so as to engage the under side of the lower fiiction member C. As the friction innf rs C--C are separated, 'it is evident that tti lower spring followers '22 will be elevated and --simultaneously therewith the upper spring followers '23 will be depressed 'apart in a horizontal direction instead of so that the compression.movement of the springs E is double the travel of the followers A-A, thereby enabling me to obtain a. high capacity.

In the structure shown in Fig. 3, the followers Ag'and A3 are arranged with their inwardly extending arms 11G and 117 one above the other instead 0f being spaced apart horizonta.lly.,.as shown in Figs. 1 and In this construction, the inner arms 116. are provided with opposed elongated slot-s 121 to accommodate a transversely extending bolt D', said bolt D. being extended through suitable slots in the draft sills and having springs ll mounted thereon outside of the sillsin a well known manner. In this construction, the wedges extend vertically on either side of the arms 116 and 11'( and the `friction members are forced.

vertically, as shown .in Figs. 1 and 2. Detailed discussion of the specific structure is believed unnecessary, since the arrangement of parts in operation the same as for the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2, except that a single bolt with springs at' cach end outside of the sills is substituted for the vertically extending bolts in springs shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

I claim: y

1. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with relatively movable followers, of centrally disposed friction members extending inwardly from each follower and movable in unison therewith, said friction members 'being overlapped7 wedges on lthe inner face of each follower, the wedges of one follower frictionally engaging the friction members movable with the opposed follower, outer friction meinbers coperable with said wedges, and spring means acting through said outer friction members for resisting relative approach of the followers.

2. In a -friction shock absorbing mechanism, tho combination with a pair of followers relatively movable and each having an integrally formed inwardly extending arm, of apair of wedges mounted on the inner face of'each follower, the wedges on one follower being arranged to frictionally engage the arm of the opposed follower, friction members coperable with said wedges and adapted to be separated in a line at right angles to the line of relative. movement hetween the followers, and means for resisting- 4. In a friction draft rigging, the combination with draft sills, draw bar and yokeacting means, of front and rear followers, each follower having an inwardly longitudinally extending arm movable in unisonA therewith, said arms 'being overlapped, a pair of wedges detachably mounted on the inner face of each of said followers, said arms and said wedges having cooperating friction faces extending parallel to the asis of the draft rigging, friction members having wedge-shaped ends coperable with said wedges and adapted to be separated in a line at right angles to the axis of the gear upon relative approach of the followers, and spring means acting through said friction members for risting relative approach of t-lio followers.

5. In a friction draft rigging, the combination with draft sills, draw bar and yokeacting means, of front and rear followers, each follower having an inwardly longitudinally extending arm movable in unison therewith, said arms being overlapped, of a pair of wedges detachably mounted on the inner face of each of said followers, said arms and said wedges having coperating friction faces extending parallel to the axis-of the draft rigging, fric-tion mem- 115 bers having wedge-shaped ends coperable with said wedges and adapted to vbe separated in a line at right angles to the artis of the gear upon. relative approach of the followers, and spring means-acting through l20 said friction members for resisting relative approach of the followers, -said overlapped arms .being adapted to limit the relative approach of the followers.

6. In a friction draft rigging, the oom- L25 bination with front and rear followers, each of said followers having a pair of spaced longitudinally extending integral arms, the armsl of one follower lheilig alternated with the arms of the other follower, of a pair of 130 wedges detachably mounted on the -inner rigging, a bolt extending through said fric- 10 face of each follower, the wedges of one foltion members at right angles to the axis of lower being arranged to frictionally engage the gear, and a spring mounted on said bolt the ends of the arms of the opposed follower, adapted to resist; separation of said friction means permltting said Wedges to com ensate members.

or weer on 4the friction surfaces, friction In Witness that I claim the 4foregoing I 15 members having Wedge-shaped ends oophave hereunto subscribed my name this 28th era-ble with said Wedges and adapted to ybe day of Feb. 1918.

A separat-ed transversely to the'axis of thedraft GEORGE A. JOHNSON. 

